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Weekly PA Environment Digest Newsletter
January 24, 2005
(1/21/2005)
PDF Version - PA Environment Digest 01/24/05
* What Budget Address? Green Ribbon Commission Meets
While Washington was inaugurating a new President, Iraq getting ready for an election and Southern Asia recovering from the tsunami, Harrisburg was doing something much more important—talking football.
* Green Ribbon Commission Meets Next Week, Groups Plan Rally
The Green Ribbon Commission announced it will meet on Tuesday, January 25, according to Rep. Bill Adolph (R-Delaware) and Sen. Mary Jo White (R-Venango) co-chairs.
* Waugh Chairs PA Delegation to Chesapeake Bay Commission
Sen. Mike Waugh (R-York) was recently elected by fellow Pennsylvania members of the Chesapeake Bay Commission to serve this year as the Chair of the PA Delegation.
* Rozell Stidd To Receive Ralph Abele Conservation Heritage Award
Rozell A. Stidd, a conservation officer for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Pennsylvania Game Commission who later was appointed as a Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commissioner, has been named the recipient of the 2004 Ralph W. Abele Conservation Heritage Award.
* Attorney General Corbett Promises Aggressive Environmental Enforcement
Tom Corbett took office as Pennsylvania’s Attorney General this week promising to “protect our environment and work with the Legislature to strengthen our laws so that we continue to have clean air to breathe and fresh water to drink.”
* New Cambria Wind Farm Locates on Reclaimed Strip Mine
Freedom Wind Energy plans to develop a wind farm in Pennsylvania that will generate up to 400 megawatts (MW) of electricity, one of the largest wind mill projects in the state.
* Comments Available from Hearing on Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards
The Public Utility Commission held a technical conference this week to hear comments on the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards that was co-chaired by Chairman Wendell Holland and DEP Secretary Kathleen McGinty.
* 'Business In Our Sites' Brownfield Project Funding Announced
The Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) announced the approval of 14 projects this week totaling over $43.6 million in grants and loans, through the Business in Our Sites (BOS) program.
* More Green Buildings
Two More PA Buildings Certified as Green Under LEED
* Colleges, EPA, DEP Sign Environmental Self-Audit Agreement
The Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Environmental Protection signed an agreement this week to voluntarily disclose violations found through environmental compliance audits conducted by member schools.
* Apps Now Available for Community Based Water Resources Education Projects
The Water Resources Education Network (WREN) Project and the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania Citizen Education Fund (LWVPA-CEF) will accept proposals for water resources education projects through April 1.
* Help Available to Your Group Through the Watershed Assistance Center
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC) Watershed Assistance Center recently received two grants that will help support their award-winning technical assistance program.
* EPCAMR Sponsoring Iron Oxide Workshop January 28
The Eastern Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation (EPCAMR) is sponsoring a workshop on January 28 for all those interested in putting together a grant application to promote the recovery of iron oxide in mine drainage discharges.
* DEP Solicits Interest in Reclaiming Lackawanna County Mine Site
The Department of Environmental Protection this week published a notice soliciting interest from the landowners and/or licensed mine operators in the reclamation of a 3.5 acres abandoned mine site known as Project No. PBF 35940101.1 in Mayfield Borough, Lackawanna County.
* Using Compost to Prevent Stream Bank Erosion
River Valley Organics, of Wrightsville, Meadville Land Service Inc. (814-337-1974) of Meadville, PA and Weaver Mulch in Coatesville have teamed up with Filtrexx International to produce recycled organic products for stream bank stabilization, erosion and sediment control on construction sites and roadsides, stormwater drain inlet protection, removal of hydrocarbons in stormwater runoff, stormwater and bio-retention ponds, and green roofs for buildings.
* PA Partnership Forming to Promote No-Till Conservation Practices
A coalition of eight public, industry and academic organizations is forming a PA No-Till Alliance and inviting producers, agri-buiness, consultants, conservation districts and other interest groups to become members.
* Farming for the Future Conference to be Held Feb. 4-5 in State College
The Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture will hold its annual Farming for the Future conference February 4 -5, in State College.
* Schuylkill Watershed Congress Set for March 5-6
The 2005 Schuylkill Watershed Congress will be held at the Montgomery County Community College on March 5-6 and will feature a keynote address by Thomas Cahill, of Cahill Associates, 20 workshop sessions, networking and poster sessions, exhibits and watershed tours.
* Adams County Chapter Trout Unlimited Receives National Conservation Award
The Adams County Chapter of Trout Unlimited was recently recognized with the Gold Trout Chapter Award, the highest recognition given to a chapter of Trout Unlimited.
* DCNR Seeks Comments on Future of Erie Bluffs State Park
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) will hold a public planning session on January 26 in Girard, Erie County seeking public comment on natural resource management and future development plans for Erie Bluffs State Park.
* DCNR Honors Pike County Community For Wildfire Preparedness
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry officials this week honored Hemlock Farms, a Pike County community, for working to prevent and being ready to fight wildfires.
* County Commissioners Support Increase in Realty Transfer Tax for Open Space
Billing it the "Agenda for Citizen Fairness," leaders from Pennsylvania's counties this week announced their list of top priorities which calls upon state leaders to achieve tax fairness for counties and to honor their commitments to funding human services programs.
* Hearing Set to Review Ozone Attainment Progress in Philadelphia Region
The Department of Environmental Protection has announced it will hold a “mid-course review of progress” hearing on how the Philadelphia Region is moving toward attaining the one-hour ozone standard on February 24 in Norristown.
* Notice of Certified Emission Reduction Credits, Recent Transactions
The Department of Environmental Protection this week published a notice of availability of emission reduction credits, by company, in the state’s Emission Credit Registry and a summary of recent transactions (January 22 PaB 586).
* EPA Launches New Spanish Language Environmental Website
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has launched a new consolidated Spanish language website as part of its ongoing effort to provide environmental information both in Spanish and English.
* Ned Smith Center Hosts Evening on PA’s Conservation Heritage
The Ned Smith Center will host an evening program on “PA's Conservation Heritage-The People, the Policies, and the Places” presented by Beth Hager, Chief ofDevelopment at the State Museum and Wayne Kober, former Director of PennDOT Office of Environmental Quality, at 7:00 p.m. on February 10 in Millersburg, Dauphin County.
* Quick Clips
NewsClips from around PA on: Environmental Charter School, Methane Wells, Potomac Eagles, Willie Nelson Biofuel, Deer, Teen Wins Energy Grant, Trash to Treasure
* Feature: The Geography of Restoring Aultmans Run in Indiana County
Brian Okey, the modest, but focused president of the Aultman Watershed Association for Restoring the Environment (AWARE), listed all the grants and partners the Association put together in the last four years to cleanup their watershed and then paused.
* Watershed NewsClips
Stories from around PA on watershed topics.
* Regulations
The Environmental Quality Board published laboratory accreditation rules this week for comment and approved revised regulations on explosives , extended the review time on a petition to adopt PA's own mercury standards and other topics at their meeting.
* Technical Guidance & Permits
A variety of notices were published this week on the Hazardous Waste Facilities Plan, drinking water system sampling methods and the nitrogen oxide trading program.
* Calendar of Events
Upcoming meetings, conferences, events, plus links to other calendars.
* We’re Looking for a Few Good Photos to Share!
Want to share some of your winter watershed or scenic photos with other PA Environment Digest readers?

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